Modi factor writ large in India, says Arun Jaitley

The Asian Age.

India, All India

He said the BSP supremo Mayawati and her TMC counterpart Mamata Banerjee have left no stone unturned in running down Mr Gandhi.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Calling the Opposition’s campaign as a ‘Rent a Cause’ campaign, Union minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday said it has failed to build up even a single major issue against the government in the past five years and their strategy has been now reduced to “picking up an issue for a daily tweet or a press briefing.”

The senior BJP leader said the ‘Modi factor’ was writ large across the country during the firstphase of elections and multi-cornered contests in several states favoured the ruling BJP.

Slamming the Oppos-ition for using the government’s critics in different sections for its ‘signature campaign propaganda,’ the senior BJP leader, in his blog post, came out is support of party colleague and Textiles minister Smriti Irani and took on the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi saying “a public audit of Rahul Gandhi’s academic credentials may leave a lot to be answered as he got an M.Phil without Masters degree.”

The Congress had alleged that Ms Irani “falsified records” of her educational qualifications and submitted contradictory affidavits to the Election Commission and that she should be disqualified.

Mr Jaitley said the verbal battles between the Left, TMC and the Congress are becoming visible increasingly and on the leadership issue, “the situation looks gloomier than what I had thought.”

He said the BSP supremo Mayawati and her TMC counterpart Mamata Banerjee have left no stone unturned in running down Mr Gandhi.

"There is no leader, no Gathbandhan, no Common Minimum Programme and no real issue. Not surprisingly there are not many takers for a "failed campaign". It is 'Rent a Cause' Campaign," said Mr Jaitley.

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